Ian Happ’s PROVE-IT Year? Why 2026 Is Massive for the Chicago Cubs Outfielder | CHGO Cubs Podcast

Hey Chicago. What do you say? It's the CHGO Cubs podcast presented by our great friends at Toyota. It is Wednesday, January 28th. It is for

an amazing cold and we have not one, but two great guests today, one remotely and one here in studio. And we have, are you ready for it? Tell me off the top. Tell me the good news. Are you ready?

In addition to Becky telling us she made snow angels yesterday, we have breaking news on the CHGO Cubs podcast.

No, the Cubs haven't signed Zach Allen just yet. No, this is more about us. This is about us. This is a me thing and us getting out of here. Yes.

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Spring training trip coming up with CHGO Cubs. Get ready to sign up for it. It is March 5th through March 8th. And there's a lot to it. There's layers to it guys. There's Cubs games. We can go to. There's a bull's game. We can go to. There's a golf outing. We're going to throw while we're out there. And I don't want to make too much of a big deal.

But I like lavish gifts and it is my birthday while we're out there. So start planning accordingly and bring the presents. Roll out the red carpet. Come hang out with us in Arizona. It's going to be warm. I was going to be out of baseball. Roll baseball classic going on. As you mentioned, the golfing event. Maybe a quick little like AMA Q&A with us. Hang out. Happy hour.

Chicken tenders. And if it's rainy, then we'll go to the AMC theater. Oh, that'd be lovely. I thought that's what you're going to say. A big bucket of Bob. Big bucket of popcorn. I love some popcorn. All right. Let's get to we're going to. Like I said, two great guests. We have a Cubs comparison for you. We have more lists to talk about. But first we want to bring in our first guest, who I believe this is first time on the show, but we've met and we've had a good time and we've talked and we've done stuff together. You could find them on a great podcast. The setup guy Kyle is here.

He's here from beautiful sunny California. What's up, God? Second time on CHO. You weren't there the first time. That's it. And if I wasn't there, didn't count. Yeah, didn't count.

No, excited to be back. Thanks for the opportunity, guys. How's your off season been? First of all, well, we've got an eight month old and a soon to be three year old. So Luke, you know a little bit about that lifestyle.

Lots of no sleep and just trying to keep up with good content. We're also trying to bring home the bread for the family. So it's been busy.

But I've been I've been very excited for what's going on with the Cubs. It's been fun. How about it, right? Like when you're trying to you're like, oh, man, maybe this is going to be one of those boring old Cubs winters when it's just Daniel the Scalso or I get excited about Eric Sogard.

I can finally just concentrate on being a father. No, no, Kyle. It's been a last couple. Like we got frustrated.

I just want to ask you let's start off there. Like where was your frustration level at, you know, around Christmas time.

Because I think I think every Cubs fan is digesting it a different way, right? Were you all were you trying to be patient with yourself? I believe I believe I believe Chad's going to make a move.

Or were you starting to get frustrated and then then we'll work our way into the active active last three weeks of this Cubs off season.

I always call myself a real amist. I'm not an optimist. I'm not exactly a realist. I'm definitely not like a skeptic or cynic, cynic. Yeah.

But I'm just like always very realistic and I went into this off season saying this is going to be a C minus off season. Like they're going to be okay with losing Kyle Tucker.

They're going to be okay with only Casey starting right field. I guess I got to just get used to being okay with that.

And they're not going to go get a big big bat to replace Tucker and maybe they'll get a starting pitcher. But then again, they might just put their hat on the fact that Jackson Wiggins and Justin steel will be coming in mid season.

So I expected all the bullpen stuff. So by the time Christmas came along, I was frustrated because I was kind of proving myself right.

And then they go and do the Cabrera Embragment in the same week. And I'm just like, this is exceeded expectations.

Jet exceeded my expectations. That's right. For once, exceeding expectations is a phrase I like to hear the projections.

I'm all for it. I got a question just off the top because I know this, but not everybody will know this. First of all, I've listened to your podcast. The set of man is great.

What made you want to start a Cubs podcast? And we've tried to make it so that I, you know, I've I've met you out at Murphy's and Cody had been on and I just feel like there's room for everybody, you know.

So what made you think to yourself, you know what I want to do a Cubs podcast and I want to make it a thing while also doing some other stuff.

I'll give you the 5,000 put overview. I'm a real estate professional. And for the first time in my life, I was like, hey, I have some free time and finances that allow me to be able to say what passion projects do I want to follow.

When I was right out of college, I was a sports anchor for a local TV station in Grand Junction, Colorado, funny side story. My very first month there, I got to meet Bryce Harper at the Grand Junction World Series, which was super cool, 19 or 17 year old at the time.

Anyway, I just decided like, hey, for once I want to do something without the pressure of having to get paid and just have fun with it.

And that's exactly what it's been, you know, do we put in all of the 100% effort, like you guys do with production value and everything. No, but we have a crap ton of fun doing it.

And at the end of the day, it's something that I need Cubs therapy. Honestly, it happened because my wife and I were on a bike ride in 2022.

And I was furious about a Cubs loss. And she's like, you need to like find a way to blow steam off because like it's carrying over our bike right now. And I'm like, you know what?

I think like speaking into a mic about this would be some good therapy for me. And it has been it's really leveled me out.

I love that Cubs anger is what fuels you to do a podcast. And I always like to tell the story that my first Cubs game I ever went to, I got stung by a B and a seagull crap down my little league hat.

And it was like, listen, this is where we start from. There's only one way to go. And finally we got there in 2016.

If you say Steve C shack one more time, I'm going to lose it. Talk about the set up, man.

Um, yeah. And also like you have personally for me with my wife, uh, because she's from Pittsburgh Kyle is, uh, when I told her that I bought a one way ticket to Chicago in 2016 at the beginning of the playoffs for the world series.

She thought I was never coming back. And I was like, it has to, you don't understand. And I had to explain to her like, this is like the joy of my life. There was no way I wouldn't be in the city for 2016.

So we have to like kind of explain our sickness to the normies out there. Where are you?

Use microphone sometimes. You were married and you remain married after that.

Exactly. She literally was like an angel. She thought I was like, you're going to some kind of Marty grotto. I'm like, it is, but it also could might break my heart.

And I was like, I promise I will come back if they win. And so she was watching in L.A. Just like hoping that the Cubs would win because if they lost, she didn't know if I was going to come back.

So that's the sickness we live with.

That sounds like a very loyal slash maybe like just super trusting wife there. So that's cool.

She's Steelers fan too. So there's that. There's that vibe going there too. Hey Kyle. So basically, you know, a lot of people were wondering where the Cubs would make their improvements.

And there was a lot of talk about third base before it happened. And I really didn't think they were going to do it because I thought like you saying C minus.

I thought to myself, they've got cost control third base. Now there's no.

There's very little certainty in that third base because we saw highs and we saw lows and we saw super lows.

And it was like, well, I don't I can't guarantee which match Shaw is going to come back, but they they do have a guy that has shown he can play it defensively at a super high level.

And whether or not the bat comes back, we don't know.

But he's cost effective and they can save money there. I didn't think they do the breakman deal. I'm shocked they got it done. So now that it's done, how did you feel about third base?

And now how do you feel about the way the Cubs will move forward with third base and apparently match Shaw?

I was just talking to David Kaplan about this. We had him on the show last week. And, you know, I asked him, do you think that match Shaw, Alex Breggman and Nico Horner will be on the 26 man roster to start the season.

And he said, yes, I do. And I said, good, because that's what I want. I mean, match Shaw, being a super utility, whatever you want to call him bench P slash get two starts a week is just such an amazing luxury for the Cubs to have now you take a guy who is a go glove finalist and you say I can plug him in at third base, I can plug him in at second base.

And if he can do it really well, it's spring training now start thinking about maybe an outfield spot to relieve some guys or to be an even better option as a fourth slash fifth outfielder.

I just think that that's such a big luxury that we have not seen since Havi and since Zobras and Bryant and and that's that's got me fired up from just a logistical the way that the Cubs look at things they improved on wins, right, like they took a basically 1.5 war guy at third base.

And they turn them into a mid four war guy at third base. And that's about the same number of wins as you get from Kyle Tucker according to fan graph. So they did the job of replacing the bat, but they also just made this lineup in this bench so much more exciting.

If a guy needs a day off, if a guy gets injured, if, if, if all those ifs, we now say it's, it's cool, we got Matt Shaw, whereas last year, oh, what if Nico goes down, we didn't really know the answer to that.

Right, and we were, you know, doing segments on John Bertie and Vidal Bruhon, you know, well, yeah, you know what I mean? And just trying to like madrigal. Yeah, can these guys, you know, help you and sometimes those 100 to 200 bats.

They don't carry a season, but when you're in it every single day and you're trying to win every single game to the best of your ability, that stuff shows up every once in a while.

To move it further on Breggman Kyle, you know, what are you buying and selling from him offensively, right?

Like, I don't think he's the player in Houston that he was in 2018. I don't think anyone's going to pretend that that's the case.

I don't know what your belief system is or your faith is in zips projections, but zips came out with their fan graphs projections the other day, and they don't really like Alex Breggman that lot a whole lot.

They think he's going to hit about 240 with an OPS around 730. Both would be definitely be career lows for him.

Other people feel can Alex Breggman's offensive profile translate over to rigley field and everything else seems to.

There's some detraction to it. Are you buying selling any of that? Are you as high an Alex Breggman offensively as I am?

Because I think he's going to override all of that as a true pro that drives in some huge runs for us in the middle of the lineup this year.

Yeah, I mean, listen, I don't think Alex Breggman should be looked at the same as Kyle Tucker coming in as like this offensive savior.

I mean, when you look at his career, I'm looking at it right now. He had that one monster year in 2019, where he was and in 2018 was a massive year too.

You got some MVP votes, right? End up second and MVP in 2019.

After that, right? Like everything is pretty much from high seven to low 800 OPS since 2020. And that's kind of what you're expecting.

But with better bats with better contact with better clubhouse leadership. I mean, I kind of didn't really want to buy into that just because I was still bitter about the whole cheating scandal.

But the more you hear like the more you just really like what you're hearing about how he helps guys to level up the whole thing that Jed said at CubsCon about the day after that he got signed.

He's asking for a report on every single guy so you can reach out and see how he can help when the world have you ever heard that from a guy like that's that's fun.

So am I thinking he's going to be an offensive savior? No, I don't think so. Am I thinking he's going to be a offensive staple? Yeah.

But I also don't think that he's a guy that puts fear into pitcher's hearts like Kyle Tucker potentially did.

So you're going to need to see some guys just step up a little more not not step up like they had to do in 2024 when there was not a superstar.

But there's going to be a little bit more of a step up. I think that's needed from the core guys like say a half PCA bush compared to last year when Kyle Tucker could help you in the first half of the season to to scare and and to get that fear into the hearts of the other pitcher.

So I think though for me like not to ramble too much. I'm just overall excited about him as an overall player and what he's going to bring to the clubhouse.

I like adding good players and I like adding good players that bring some certainty to my franchise because there's so much uncertainty in a baseball season.

I would say this he's not he's not offensively as you said what Kyle Tucker was the first half of the season.

You're not going to get that season out of Breggman, but he's better defensively at his position than Kyle Tucker was and it is the best I have felt about third base since Chris Bryant was here.

And I'm not saying that just Breggman. I'm saying the combo of Breggman and Shaw and anybody else that might play there a little bit next year.

That's the most certain I felt. I never really believed that morale could play third base.

I never thought Madrigal was going to take the position. I wasn't sure going into the last season. It was a wise idea to be like, hey Matt Shaw what the heck here's third base.

Go ahead and go for it. This he doesn't have to be an MVP next year, Breggman. Now he might be the best player in the Cubs, but I don't even know about that.

I just like that he's giving us some certainty and comfort going into the season and because he moved a younger player aside, we have a backup plan.

And like you said that when's the last time we had a backup plan, we didn't have a plan at third base, let alone a backup plan. So in that way, I think he lifts the Cubs up potentially more than even adding Kyle Tucker to right field.

I mean, yes, the way it turned out, but Kyle Tucker wasn't necessarily the fit we needed as much as we needed to really lock down third base.

Do you agree with any of that?

Yeah, look, and I think the thing about a Kyle is thing that we can't project and it's hard for us as fans because we care about stats, we care about wins and we care about the enjoyment of a Cubs season and that's as going as deep as possible.

But for the players, I think the thing that's yet to be seen is all the stuff that Breggman's going to bring to the table that isn't necessarily RBI's and home runs.

And we'll never know what happened with Kyle Tucker right when he fractures his finger things go a little south, what was that communication like some other players around him in the lineup that flourished in the first half kind of started to fall by the wayside.

There's going to be a leadership intangible quality with Alex Breggman that we can't put a finger on right now, but I have to believe over a long season, it's going to make the Cubs better. And that's what I want to believe in right now, even though if I can't like, if I can't put my fingers on to it right now.

Can I ask you guys a question? Where, where does he bat in the lineup? Or where do you want him batting the one?

We're going to hold that question. Where do we all think he's going to bat? We're talking the set up man, Kyle right here on the CHCO Cubs podcast.

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We're talking to the set up man, our guy Kyle, who also does a great job talking Cubs baseball, check out his podcast and he asked us before the break.

All right, where would you bat, Mr Alex Breggman, Joey? Where would you bat, Breggman, Breggman in this lineup?

So the default that feels obvious to me right now is in that two hole.

Why mess with a good thing when you're just replacing Tucker with Alex Breggman?

I will say though, Kyle, because it's January and it's freezing here and maybe my brain isn't working. I mean, look, I think you can go in a lot of different directions.

My big thing if they didn't sign Breggman was my big question was who is going to be our three four five. Like if you had bush and say it in the one two slot.

Was it going to be like e and half Moises by Astero's PCA? Does that really strike fear into the hearts of opposing pictures?

I had doubts about that so you could easily slide Breggman in the three four five.

I'll tell you this. I'm going to say the two hole, but it wouldn't shock me.

If you saw a Breggman in the two hole or even maybe as a lead off hitter, if you wanted to start moving some guys.

Down and get Michael Bush some more RBI opportunities. Let's say a hit in the cleanup and then have a Bush say a PCA three four five.

I wouldn't be against it because Breggman has a similar profile to e and half and what they liked about e and half was he saw a lot of pitches.

He got on base and he gave you a professional at bat. I know you want your $35 million dollar man to drive in a hundred runs, but really at the end of the day.

You just want to make the lineup that chain reaction that they had last year with Tucker and it's so.

I'm going to say default too, but I wouldn't be shocked if he hit some lead off. What's he you?

I am rallying for him to be the lead off at her. Like that. That's what I want.

Okay. Tell me more. Yeah.

I need the CHGO Cubs reality spray for you too. Okay. Go ahead.

Listen. I mean, okay. First of all, we we get into this off season mode of like the lineup is going to be set this way.

And we all know it doesn't work that way when the season actually starts. So e and half was our lead off it or to start the season.

Craig lost trust him from that position and eventually had Michael Bush. Michael Bush just, you know, it felt like he was pretty good from lead off position because he hit 16 home runs and a lot of those were lead off, but.

You know, a three 11 on base and with as much as he strikes out, I just I don't think that that's our lead off guy.

And then when you think about it, well, Nico has been tried at the lead off spot as well.

And the new type of lead off hitter these days is not your speed contact guy. He's your can we make it one nothing right away kind of guy.

And I just think that that is Alex Breggman and when you especially look at his career, his career on base percentage is 365 that's already the best on the team.

What else do you want outside of not having the stolen base threat, which by the way, who cares, put Nico at number two, then you got some stolen base threat right there in case he doesn't get on or in case Nico slaps a hit to right field announced first and third with nobody out.

And Michael Bush had the highest OPS on the team last year 866. He had won it back and the number three spot all of last year. You know what you did, he had a double.

So put him at the number three spot. Let's give him some more opportunities. And then yeah, I love it. Say a PCA after that. I think that's a legit top five that can put two, three runs on the board right away.

Maybe Breggman could be our begio at the top of the lineup back in the day with the old Astros. I listen, I hadn't really thought about him. You guys have made a pretty good case. I hadn't really thought about him as a lead off guy. I think most people think he'll bat second.

But I think there's flexible. I agree with you, Kyle, that there's flexibility in all of it. And we won't, we'll probably see him bat multiple places throughout the season. Now the Godfather, Michael Kalada, one of our all time favorite diehards on the podcast says something different. He likes Nico leading off, then Ian half, then Breggman batting third Bush Suzuki PCA Swanson Kelly. Listen, the good news is there's a lot of ways you could mix it. And we're paying our manager 8 million dollars.

I'm counting on him to know more than I do. And he will make the correct lineup. That's that's what I'm hoping for. And I don't think Breggman batting first would be terrible. I don't think batting Breggman second would be terrible. I don't think as long as he's one of the first five batters, I'm actually happy.

Because of the consistency. Again, I don't think he's going to hit 25 home runs at Rigglyfield, but he's a doubles machine. He gets on base. Like you said, so whatever Craig council thinks is best for the offense. That's what's going to have to happen. But if he's going to be lower than first or second, the only thing I hesitate on that is I do want a guy that will hit a few home runs. So that's the only reason I kind of like say a actually behind Breggman or possibly Bush behind Breggman.

But at times, Michael Bush was pretty good at lead off. Nobody seems to want Ian Hap lead off anymore. I don't think he and Hap wants to be at the lead off position.

I think that's fair and calm and like I think the three of us are old school enough where we have these preconceived notions of how a lineup is supposed to flow. And then I've at least bought into the fact that I can wrap my hat around when analytics say you want your best players to get the most.

Opportunities and the most played appearances that you can in the game and throughout the course of the season. So you try and bat those guys as far up in the lineup as you want to.

The only reason why I just keep thinking Breggman at the top of the lineup as a one or possibly as a two is one. I really like the idea of if you're going to have match shot at the bottom, you're going to have that turnover factor where you just get yourself into the scenario of match.

You've got some base Alex Breggman single. You got a first and third with your best guys coming up to as well. The other one Kyle is that I just feel like.

And you're right that Alex Breggman is not Kyle Tucker. This is 100% true. But what Kyle Tucker brought to the team to help out his teammates throughout the offensive lineup. I think Breggman can do a facsimile of that, which is.

I think Alex Breggman what one of his secret little skills is what his secret sauces. I think he's an annoying at bat dude. I think he files off pitches. I think he knows the zone really well. And I think he wears opposing pitchers out. So what I just like like Kyle Tucker as I want to see those 678 pitch at bats.

To kind of open it up. And if Alex Breggman gets on base, the opposing pitchers just like, man, that was a pain in the ass.

And now you all the sudden maybe you're grooving that fastball to PCA or a bush and they're getting their opportunities to be aggressive early in counts and attack. And that's where I think Breggman can also play a role too as well.

Yeah, you know, that I'll be honest. So you bring up a point that does concern me a little bit and friend of our show. I know friend of your show as well.

Lance Brasdowski brought this to my attention about a year and a half ago. And that is, you know, Breggman's 2023 season. He went from walking 92 of his 700 plus played appearances to in 24 only walking 44 of his 634 played appearances.

And then this last year 51 walks in just under 500. So he got a little bit better. But I mean, there was like three or four years though where he almost had 100 walks or surpassed 100 walks in the season.

And I don't like that trend of like not walking as much his contact rate is still good. His on base is still very good 360 last year. But it's just something to keep an eye on.

And I have to give Lance that credit because I wouldn't even have looked at that.

You know, and Joey mentioned how he's he's an annoying at bat at times. I just wanted to point out that Tucker to it sometimes wasn't annoying at bat for different reasons.

So they've made this big move. They made the trade for Cabrera, which I really like. And again, there's some risk with that trade. Right. And then there's we'll see how it goes. I think there's a lot of upside.

Real quickly, what's the last edition you want to see? We're both pro trying to get Zach Galan on that rotation.

Yeah, I know. It's funny. Whoever you ask about this.

I don't know that I think like Zach Galan is going to be the quote unquote missing piece. I think a legit closer would be the missing piece. But we're kind of past that at this point.

I don't even know that there's any trades being talked about. If you can get Zach Galan, if you can get him a 15 a year for like call it two years with a team opt out or whatever a player opt out after year one, I think that's such a low risk.

Go for it thing. And I mean, you know, you've already signed showed it to $22 million. That's already a higher risk than Zach Galan at 15 million.

I, yeah, I just I think this roster is about as set. It's as it's going to be minus a surprise in Zach Galan minus a really good piece in a McGill and Dohar.

And I just wish that we would have gotten one of those top end relievers this off season maintenance fine.

But when you hear that Devon Williams was pretty much like just waiting for the Cubs to give him an offer and they didn't do it. That's a little bit disappointing.

So yeah, long story short, my missing piece is going to be the closer and I think it's going to happen at the deadline, the trade deadline.

Where just to follow up on that, what does your confidence level on Hunter Harvey, where I don't think he's as well known to Cubs fans right now, but internally they seem to be really excited about him.

Do you think he could give Daniel Plenty a run for his money in terms of those last three outs or at least be that kind of outgator that they were looking for from with Brad Keller last year.

Quick story for you. I had Tyler Zombro on the podcast last year and I'm trying to get him back on this year and I want to ask him exactly what you just asked.

I asked him last year, who do you think is going to make the biggest impact on this team that is a new reliever and he was like, um, tie between Caleb Thielbar and Brad Keller.

And how on was he, right? Um, so yeah, I want to ask him the same thing because I don't know enough about Hunter Harvey. They signed this other big six eight guy who's been playing in the independent league the last few years and used to play in the nationals and a few other teams.

Like they just have all those wild cards again that you're just like, I want to see what they've got, but I would rather ask Tyler, like who is he most optimistic about. So, um, to answer your question.

No, I mean, I think the bullpen is going to be the same thing. It's been the last few years. They signed a bunch of guys. They're going to figure out who the players are.

They just don't know what innings or what roles are going to fit in until May. And we're probably going to have a few more games like we have the last few years in April, where it's just like, why didn't they throw this guy? We could have saved the game. Why are they still going with Al Browse live version 3.0 as the closer.

I just, I think we're still going to go through some of those pains in April. And that's the only unfortunate thing about this, this current roster.

All right. We are talking to the set up man Kyle. Check out his podcast. We appreciate his time. We're going to continue here because I want to get your take on something. Both of you. So it is time for the original take brought to you by Hooters cheer on your favorite teams from any of the 11 Chicago Land Hooters locations.

Original Hooters dot com. All right. Ian, we were looking at lists and everybody was mad because MLB network put out this list of top 100 players and equal owners not on it. And we're all like, what are we talking about here? He's first or second best second basement in all of baseball. How is he not on your top 100 list? Well, now they've put out their best left field or list. Okay. And this one is a little more palatable. The fan vote has in half.

Fourth on their list of left fielders in baseball and the shredder as they like to call it has him at number six in all of baseball. Now the laminator ranked him number one. I don't even know what that is.

But the chuginator as we like to call it here at CHGO, the chuginator, we're going to say he's number three in all of baseball. So I asked you, where does Ian have really fit in the list of left fielders in baseball. It's funny because I think the fan vote and the shredder vote.

The laminator doesn't exist.

The shredder vote and the fan vote have a lot of a lot of variance. Like there's there's guys all over the place. You're on Alvarez is on this list. And he's not near the top. And you're like, okay, where do you put Cody Belinger?

Where do you put in? Ian happens one four straight gold gloves. And he always hits about twenty twenty five home runs. And the most important one Kyle is that Ian happens ahead of Jackson, Cheerio. So how about that one?

Perfect. That's all I care about. How do you make? How do you make sense of that, Kyle?

I don't I put zero zero emphasis on these lists. Like absolutely nothing because it's just a joke. I mean, I'm sorry to say same thing with the gold glove after what happened last year where you saw Dan's B.

And not only get snubbed, but also Francisco Lindor, not even me a top three finalists. And you give it to a guy with 16 airs and Mason wins. So I just think all these lists, all these awards outside of MVP and say young or just kind of a joke.

But I mean, if you want to like look at these lists, I think Ian Hapsha be in in the top five based on the fact of just the glove and the defense alone. And the fact that he's just so consistent. Look at the numbers. I just go look at the numbers every year.

I mean, if you look at 25 versus 24, he's like percentage points off on his slash line. He's just the same player every year at the plate. And I think a lot of cups fans get frustrated that he doesn't come up in big spots.

Or he's not that like legit number three hitter that they try to fit him into every once in a while. But he's just a good solid player. And so I think somewhere in the top five is a good spot.

It's fair. Yeah, yeah, to look and it's that's the thing about it. Kyle is that when you have these conversations about Ian half the lack of variance.

Um, can sometimes have people sort of skip over like the nuance of how incredible that is, right? Because there's not a whole lot plate.

There's not a lot of places to go with Ian half. Like we're all going to say, yeah, he's going to hit about 20 bombs. He's going to drive in about 80 runs. He's going to score about 80 runs. He's going to have about 30 doubles.

Um, he's going to have a slump that's going to really make him mad. But he's going to get white hot in August. And everything's going to be fine. Right. It's like water is wet. I think my.

And I'm just trying to get in the mindset of, of the Cubs, right? Where there's an interesting like influx of, of younger players that they've graduated over the last year, right?

And some of them like Kate Horton, PCA, I even consider Michael Bush a fairly young player too as well and maybe a match shop. But this group is filled with veteran late in players. And a lot of them are heading into walk years.

So the Cubs with a lot of money coming off the books are going to have a lot of decisions to make about either bringing some of these guys back or turning the page on some of these players.

And Ian half, I think is a really interesting case. And I guess I'll phrase it to you like this from where you sit right now. If Ian half puts up another Ian half season.

Do you think that's enough for the Cubs to want to stay in the Ian half business? Or do you think he maybe has to have a little bit of that that pop walkier a little bit like does he have to maybe hit 30 bombs to make a really compelling case that that the Cubs should, you know, re up and whatever that number might look like two, three years, 20 million, whatever that is.

I think this question goes a lot deeper than just how does Ian half perform in 2026? I think first of all, the CBA has a lot to do with it because you are assuming right now that Ian half is not going to be one year older when they see him on the field next he's going to be two years older.

That's number one number two is I originally was like, you know, I think the Cubs are going to be ready to move on from Ian half because he's just not that like impact player, but when you look at the 2027 outfield free agents like name me two other guys that are going to be better than Ian half that you know they have a legitimate chance to go get.

I mean wrong like who he is right say again I said like an older Tiosker Hernandez yeah like the options aren't awesome no they're not I mean you got Ronald Acunia's on there but you know the Braves are probably going to pick up that option and then after that it's like it's Luis Robert is Randy or Osir and it's George Springer it's a Dolly Scarsia Trent Grisham Nick Cassiano the list goes on with just kind of like blog guys like that outside of Taylor Ward and maybe.

Like Lordus Goryl junior you're just kind of like I think in half I'd rather take him than any of those guys so you know if you're talking about from a performance standpoint yeah if he has a big year just kind of becomes a no brainer but from just like an option standpoint it's going to be tough to walk away from Ian half plus say a Suzuki after next year I think they're going to keep at least one of them.

Plus you know I mean Ian half was drafted by the Cubs will he be willing to do some sort of hometown discount would I be happy with Ian half finishing his career as a fourth outfielder for the Cubs like we don't really know what's going to go on behind the scenes I just have always said on our show that like I feel Ian half is one of the most polarizing players on the Cubs for the fan base and I think dance be swan since the other one fans either love Ian half.

Or they he drives them crazy fans either love dance beat swanson and the perfect hair or they he drives them crazy and he still has the perfect hair so that's more than I can say so I ask you this question because I know that this question will make some people's head explode and I like to do that every once in a while I like to you know ignite a little bit put your helmet on.

Ian half versus Nico Horner who's the better player.

Nico it's not I don't even think it's a question yeah I mean yeah yeah I'm not even close on that you're not you don't even have to hesitate for a second yeah I mean if if you put as much emphasis into war as the Cubs for an office do then you look and you see that Nico is consistently almost twice as much of a war player is as Ian half add on top of that the speed the base running the the glove to me is.

Massively better because of all the stats but also I mean Ian happens one four gold gloves in a row because he's the left fielder like let's just be honest like how in what time to play yeah he does a great job but if if you look at the left field.

Opponents for gold glove there's there's not many out there that you'd be like oh that guys are really good fielder so Ian happens like in a category where it's very much like a no brainer that he's a gold glove in my opinion and then from just the I mean we talked about it I'm old school I like contact I like gritty at bats I like that just like hustle on every 110% on every single pitch and that's that's Nico so for that reason all those reasons I just think it's no no.

Question I think it was our MVP last year I really yeah yeah for the start of start of the bell to the end I mean we could go through every player in that lineup and say that there's some sort of valley that matched with a peak right and Nico just cut right through that like from the top all the way to the bottom I love Nico Horner I mean I I want to like God I can't I can't even play the game you don't mean the contrarian game of I think the contrarian game would be at the very least like on its face like.

Ian Haps on base percentage has been better at times like Nico's about a 33% on base percentage a lot of that has to do with his batting average and maybe Ian Haps a switchhead or but I can't that's it that's all I got that's it I mean I Nico pound for pound is just a better player and maybe also to Ian Haps credit with the gold gloves I mean he has he is always up there and assists so you still got to throw those guys out right like I understand that sometimes there's a default of just the position itself but he's got to throw those guys out but yeah I know it's it's Nico I think it's Nico by.

Good margin I do too I think it's Nico but let me just throw out some devil's advocate that says okay but this is why it could be closer than maybe some of the anti happers would like to admit and I'm not calling us that I'm just saying they're out there okay.

Ian Haps projected F war from next year 2.8 Nico Warner 3.9 exactly what you're saying if you're going by F war there's more value there Ian Haps all.

116 WRC plus to 109 WRC plus you're talking about basically the hitter stat that people go by 23 home runs versus nine home runs it's become a home run league I agree I love everything that Kyle Sain I love the contact the great the stolen bases but 23 home runs versus nine OBP it's 342 to 345.

Yeah goal gloves 4 to 2 like I agree my eye test tells me I'd rather see Nico Horner if somebody was going to be missing a day I'd rather see the person being in half but just to make heads explode it might not be as crazy as what we thought but maybe nail in the car runners in scoring position I was about to say nail in the coffin right basis loaded one out who would you rather have up the owner in half I think I'm going Nico Horn every time let me ask you an even better question

and you can just be a one word answer because I know we're tied on time here Ian Haps or say a Suzuki wow it's top right higher potential for say I take say as talent I think there's so much talent and say I don't even think we've seen it I don't really think we've we've seen spurts of say a Suzuki in the way that he can dominate and the way that he was able to obviously he played great in the playoffs he was our most consistent most dangerous hitter

I'm buying say as talent even though man he he gets so confusing sometimes but we'll find out who's a better outfielder this season it appears thanks to Kyle the setup man you want to want to how often you do the podcast when's the next one yeah yeah we're doing three times a week right now and then during the season we do series recaps

but should be having a really cool guest on next week a little teaser there he's been very heavy in all the reports this off season so excited to have that certain person on next week so little teaser go go follow the podcast and the YouTube channel and you'll see who I'm talking about

Thanks Kyle have a great off season hope to talk to you guys now before the season starts appreciate it super appreciate it

We're going to take a quick break here on the CHGO Cubs podcast and we come back a live guest that will help you guys guess

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Welcome back to the CHGO Cubs podcast presented by Toyota. We're here with a special guest

You were following the podcast. You know that we have teamed up with big brothers big sisters of America

And we have a special guest and Jeremy Foster big brothers big sisters of

Metropolitan Chicago

CEO thanks for coming in and the one of the reasons you're here today besides being a cubs fan

I don't want to spoil it for everybody, but

also this is

Mentational mentoring month is that correct? That is correct every January national mentoring month

So how to first of all how do we celebrate that? You know, that's the easiest question. How do we celebrate mentoring month?

Yeah, and I was talking or the first off. Thank you for having me on and getting the exposure to the folks that are watching today is

It's really about learning more about becoming a big brother big sister

And that's what national mentoring month is first shine a light on the power and impact of mentoring

But then also give you the opportunity and share the opportunity that you have

To be in a young person's life, you know, calm on the various podcast is a big brother new big brother

Which is awesome, and so yeah, that's what it's about shining light on the impact and the opportunity people have to get involved

Well, we're absolutely we're very proud partners to be with you guys at least over the last year or so now

So our partnership has been for a while

What I love about when we say the word like mentorship

And what I love about big brothers and big sisters is of course we would advocate and encourage everyone to get involved today

But you also say that even if it isn't the right timing in your life

Just checking out the website and seeing what you guys offer is half the game because

Being a mentor like a lot of us have mentors and people in my life like that can help me and that I learn from

I mean, I learned from this guy like all the time

But when you have an opportunity to take what someone else gives to you and then give it back to someone else

That chain reaction is really what life is all about so just talk about like if someone wants to get involved or

Doesn't just checking out the website is half the game of getting involved with mentorship

Yeah, you you couldn't be more spot on it really is about that just equip yourself with the information what it is

What it isn't because you know, we've been around for 124 years now 120 years now 121

What we know is the first thing that is a barrier is the time people think about the time like it's insurmountable and the second is worthy

So from the time perspective. Yes, it is a commitment. We don't shy away from that

But once you're matched

The young person just becomes part of your life and what you do on you know every other weekend or whatever is

That's what it is. It's a couple times a month a few hours each time actually doing things you would enjoy as a being

And also what your little would enjoy and we provide a ton of opportunities for the time

You're right. Just get to know what the time truly is and then the worthiness piece too

And this is what I want to mention to folks is anybody can be big you got a heart get a positive attitude

You're a good person

That's what it is because it's the consistency of you showing up

But you got to start with just equipping yourself with the information because we know a lot of folks come to us

And it might be six months to a year later

Then yeah, come back in like out you know what I'm ready. I learned what it is

And I really want to take this serious so you're 100% right just find out more

I was going through the website and looking at some of the information before you came in today and I thought

To me the most shocking one 74% of young adults

lack access to a mentor like if we're trying to build

Our community if we're trying to build the next generation

If we're trying to make it a better country it's better city

You have to start with the kids and if 75% almost that's right don't have access to somebody they can look up to

or ask questions to or

feel like they can be

helped by

Or they can talk to you. I mean, what are we doing?

I'm glad you brought that I'm first like do we agree that's unacceptable totally unacceptable

It's unacceptable, but the good news is we can do something about it

You know, we we live in a community that loves to give back and that's why I like these opportunities is

It's just reminding people the opportunity you have because you're right

Some of it is we say there's mentor deserts and other stuff like that a lot of it is just people don't really know either

The opportunity they have to get involved and that's why these opportunities are important

Is because we let people know the opportunity they have to get involved and we're going to do something about it

All right, we work here to do something about that

Do you when you look back on on your own life

Is it is there a specific mentor for you that you always kind of harken back to or are there a lot of different mentors because

Again, like I just want to really drill into people that when you talk about the worthiness thing

Um, and we and we talk about our own like our own inner self-critic right and we're always

Looking in the mirror

Criticizing and I wouldn't be a fit like who I can't impart something to somebody else like that is simply just not true

Because we all need each other to support each other

So is there a specific mentor for you or is it a collection of mentors in your life?

And then I only got you involved with this but also kind of instructs your work today

Yeah, I've blessed first mom and dad that set the foundation

Yeah, right because then those that pour into me outside of that it can it takes hold sooner

Right so every child can benefit it just depends on where you're at and what your ecosystem is

So I had a strong ecosystem of a mom and dad

That set the route foundation foundation that it was you know through sports

Teachers that would just say something to you and actually one of the most profound. She was about five foot two

70-something years old she watched me grow up in this community center. She was the director there miss yates

And she was one of the biggest in my life

This is why I'm here in sitting in front of you today is I was the first school to college

I was gonna be in a count in business because government cheese food stamp kid when you're poor you want to make a lot of money

It's but she sat me down one night

I would drive her home as she couldn't see and she said kiddo whatever

It's worth you be great in running this place someday meaning the community center. I grew up in

She's so big small physically, but in my mind this big and somebody just saying that just a sentence

Just a sentence because of who it was

I just like what I couldn't get it out of my head

I wound up running the community center. What's led me to big brother existence? Wow, that's a great story

You know when I when I found that stat that you that was on the website the 74% I was talking about that the kids don't have

Access to a mentor

Then I started thinking about as you said unacceptable

That's horrible and then you think about the things that have happened

Over the last 15 years to our society and you think how did covid impact this

Shouting kids in their houses, you know, I see 20% of young people from three to 17 have mental emotional development or behavioral disorders

And then I see the one that impacts

My little kids right and I know that I look at it and say you spend an average of seven hours a day on screens

I can see the difference. I can see the difference when they're on it for

90 minutes

And it's just like

Head explodes at a young age if you're watching that much

There's no way that being on a screen seven hours a day. It's gonna make us a better society better country better city

Better community

So

How does big brothers big sisters help get those kids away from those screens because I get it

It's fun to sit there and play video games, but you can't do it for seven hours a day or we're going nowhere

Great question. I'm gonna come I'm gonna come back to that

In a second, but it it really is

About meeting kids where they're at and you nailed it kind of earlier is there's no substitute for human connection

In fact two years ago it was released by the surgeon general

We are a more connected society than in the history of humankind

Yet loneliness

Yes skyrocketed. I'm not making this up. You can go read this. It is proving

We are dealing with the the largest mental health crisis of young people covid

Exacerbated it

But we know these things and you know how you get yeah

100% that's how you get kids away is the phone is not out when they're with their big

And I would say the same thing about the bigs too

We could all because I asked when some folks like I don't have the time you know it sometimes jokingly

It's not ever got you as I said check your screen time

Yeah, can you take an hour and a half of that screen time and spend it with the kid and I will guarantee you the return on that time

Is going to be far greater, but it is it's he that's how you stop it is human human connection

Because once you do that over time

You're less likely to pick that up and more likely to have a conversation or look forward to that next time

You're going to be with your big it's always about us where

Humans are always the solution

To human problems and social problems

Yeah, well you 100% like I mean you could skim through 10,000 reels and you'll remember two of them

But if you have an exchange with someone or a joke or whatever you take that with you and then you tell the next friend

I heard something funny or I had this great story or this great interaction

Like that sticks with you forever that stays in your in your memory

And also I want to ask you about with big brothers big sisters

This is talk a little bit about how sports play a role too as well in terms of like screen time and everything right like the reason why I

I get the opportunity to do what I do is I just like I and I love sports because I like to see my team win

And we all like to high five and stuff but like sports for young kids

Is just such the perfect platform to learn about so many different things in life about

succeeding

failing

teamwork sacrifice

Learning like trying to get better at something every single day. So

In terms of when we're talking about getting kids off screens and stuff in that mentorship

Well, how does sports also play a role in big brothers big sisters?

It's it's intertwined. That's why we launched big sports about three years ago

And we have three pillars. It's it's participate spectate and explore first. We want you to participate and we say sport and play

We just go out and be active do a bunch of stuff with your big and you it's not about being good at it

Just go do it and be active and see what you like. So that's spectate

Participate spectators. We have awesome partnerships bowls bears cub socks

We get to send matches to games go and see what it's like participate

We want to build that fandom up. That's awesome when you feel that way like you described and then the explorer is

You know that we know the percentages very few are going to make it on the corner on the field

But there's jobs

Every sport team has a job

Get rid of my job

You're spot on and it plays a significant piece not only for what you had said is

But we know when you're physically active in doing those things

We know what that does to your mind and how you're subtle a little bit more

So it actually hits all those pillars you want and add a lessons and positive youth development

Yeah, now that said we we all love sports. We all love baseball. We all love the cubs

There's still things for kids to do with their big

That don't involve sports, right? Like I mean, that's what that's how we're connected

But the truth is not everybody loves sports and there's still a fit for that too

You might be somebody that's out here watching this in your sports fan

But your partner your boyfriend girlfriend wife husband whatever

Might not be into that and they might be a fit for a different

Youth right 100% my wife has been matched. We have our own kids grandchild my wife is this she'll be celebrating seven years with her little

Wow care less about sports

Yeah, my wife raising boy she's all in the sport but half the game half the game is to get to the determination when you don't care about sports

Because then you find other interests like that's a part of life like you try stuff and then you realize that's not for me

And then you go in a different direction. That's exactly right. I mean kids come to us all these different interests

And that's that's the beauty of it is people come to us too that don't they have these interests

And that's how we connect people's based on those shared interest and a lot of it is outside of sport and that's perfectly fine

Yeah, well, this is I first of all, I just think it's a great partnership

And it's a great thing that you're doing

For a living right like you're here helping out kids

And obviously just based on the stats we're looking at it's it's a huge huge problem

How many kids are we talking about that need a

Big now in Chicago just in our area how many kids need mentorship because if you tell me 74% wow

That's you're talking about a lot of kids. Yeah, so and it's it's like one and three two need a mentor

So if you just put that that data point alone just with Chicago Public Schools 300 something thousand kids

That shows you but then we serve for a county so if you take that out it's like oh my gosh the need is great

But you just you got a zero win on the pockets where you at and just keep growing it match by match

Which which we're doing right now actively in our system we have about 500 kids

actively

But we know if we went out and opened up the floodgates and said hey everybody sign up

It would grow to the thousands very fat

We we strategically don't do that because we don't want a kid waiting on the wait list for a year or two years

Which was happening to us before if you were a young African American boy on the south side you'd be on the wait list for two years

But given what we've done to penetrate and be in the neighborhoods more

When we launched our drive for five to scale of 5,000 kids we matched him in two months

So we're doing something about it, but we have to be very targeted too because you don't want a child waiting

That long because that sets in they know they've signed up their parents. I know I'm not wanted or something

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's me. It's me. I'm the reason I'm the reason you wouldn't do that when that's not true at all

Well, Jeremy man. Thank you so much for for not only partnering with CHG over coming on our show to tell

The good people if you can just follow up let people know how they can continue to get involved or just check out

Big Brothers big sisters and also tell us how many games are the Cubs gonna win this year?

They're gonna win 95 games. Yeah

Let's go hey come back again, will you please if you'd have me absolutely we all

Thanks for checking out the CHGO Cubs podcast presented by Toyota until next time. Don't forget fly the W